Cupid Share Discussion Threads

[andy] 30/7/2013 14:50

It will be interesting to see if they go further than "seeking legal advice"!

Personally I doubt it, just bluster, IMO.


What nobody has explained is this;

"Dating Advisors, who are clearly identified as Cupid employees, have replaced
the Motivation "team.


If they weren't doing anything wrong (per KPMG), why the need for this step?

Why did they need to change anything?

[pjhutchy] 30/7/2013 14:47

Investors buying at this price are paying nothing for a company that is growing and has no dept and a huge cash pile.buffett would like this but unfortunately he can only buy into huge company's now as he has billions of dollars sat about

[report_reader] 30/7/2013 11:43

@J777J: Being greedy when others are fearful is a well known buffet statement. However Buffett also tries very hard to avoid companies with even a sniff of integrity issues. And Cupid clearly has many questions over it's integrity.

Regarding the consolidated income statement...

If you look at the FY12 Consolidated statement of comprehensive income, you will see that the Profit from continuing operations is FY12 = 7,306 against FY11 = 5,665

This represents profit growth of 28.96% (after tax) over FY11




If you now look at the Consolidated statement of comprehensive income on FY2011 against FY2010 you will see the following figures for Profit from continuing operations is

FY11 = 5,665 against FY10 = 3,134


This represents profit growth of 80.75% (after tax) over FY10



So from that, it is clear to see that profit growth after all is considered is actually slowing substantially over previous years.

Even with the above, Cupid is still making a healthy profit according to their numbers. But is that growth sustainable without paying over the odds for the growth?

[robo15] 30/7/2013 11:05

How many subscribers will renew now that they know that the beautiful lady they are chatting too is a spotty boy in Cardiff ???

[lennonsalive] 30/7/2013 11:02

KMPG is a whitewash and smokescreen, they still havent EXPLAINED the role of the motivation team. IMHO

Motivation is a psychological feature that arouses an organism to act towards a desired goal and elicits, controls, and sustains certain goal-directed behaviors. It can be considered a driving force; a psychological one that compels or reinforces an action toward a desired goal.

hmmmm, what could that be I wonder?

[knigel] 30/7/2013 11:01

29H lets just say she is "not my type" :-)

[brownie69] 30/7/2013 10:58

The recent lemming shorters who have arrived here are a bit behind the times. Nothing new in Panorama hence the share price beginning to bounce as I suspected it would. IMHO This will break 70p in short order.

[buffetteer] 30/7/2013 10:48

anyone shorting this stock will likely rue the day because your forcing the management to buy it back on the cheap !!!

[29howard] 30/7/2013 10:42

Knigel

Join the site, chat up some beautiful looking woman and when you meet her and she looks like Bella Emberg you might be more convinced about how some sites work.

[j777j] 30/7/2013 10:22

Firm rebuttal by Cupid

[j777j] 30/7/2013 09:57

Oh the shorts are mad as hell now.

Recycled,regurgitated is all they have.

Lol

[andy] 30/7/2013 09:56

KNIGEL 30 Jul'13 - 09:07 - 3441 of 3443 0 0


So how will the average user prove that Mr X from Ayr was fake?

----------

The problem highlighted originally , and not really focused on last night, was the practice of a trial member receiving many emails from people, until they paid and joined, when they dried up.

That is more of a situation than a fake id., and harder to solve, as now people are aware of that practice, if it continues, they will be reporting it.

They never explained to role of a "motivation manager", yet KPMG made a comment that some staff active on the site "were not apparent as staff", and then you listen to what the Ukrainian lady said on camera last night, and it fits together.

She says he has evidence, I wish she would present it.

[j777j] 30/7/2013 09:13

Toscafund own 15% odd, Ceo Dobbie 21% odd.Convenienty, another 15% is held in treasury.


They will Mbo this,citing market conditions and in the best interests of shareholders,or I will eat my hat.


Watch this space.

[knigel] 30/7/2013 09:07

So how will the average user prove that Mr X from Ayr was fake? How many would be bothered especially if they find a match? How will revenue fall when online dating is in demand and still growing?

[j777j] 30/7/2013 09:04

If this and if that and if something else.

[jonc] 30/7/2013 09:02

Thinking about it most payments will have been by card.

Possibly the card provider could be made to refund the subs if presented with evidence of fraud.

If enough people did this the card providers would withdraw the card facility and that would stop the business.

Just a thought.

No position.

[j777j] 30/7/2013 09:01

The shorters have failed to distinguish between the industry and Cupid.


This is not Cupid specific,but industry wide.


Cupid have a real opportunity to grasp the bull by the horns in creating a "best practice."


Let there be industry wide standards that ensures Cupid can compete on an even playing field and watch it gain massive market share as the smaller seedier operators are pushed out.

This is only the end of the beginning.

[bubble pricker] 30/7/2013 09:00

The key issue for Cupid is not punters claiming their money back. I don't see that as a major risk. It is too cumbersome to do and the overall refund volume is too small for "claim companies" to come in.

No, the issue for Cupid is that the fake profiles were used to drive up subscriptions. With the latest BBC coverage, even if it has regurgitated previous news, dating sites will have to be squeaky clean going forward. But that will mean a collapse in revenues, as the old tactics to drive up subscriptions fall away and dating sites will have to compete for customers signing up on the strength of "real" other customers. Expect a dramatic fall in revenue and profits over the next 12 months. That will be the catalyst for a share price collapse.

As for the deferred consideration of the asset sale, the majority of this, I am convinced, will never be received by Cupid.

[jonc] 30/7/2013 08:56

Cawky has.

All he got was a pizza boy.

[brownie69] 30/7/2013 08:55

Buy order just gone in at 61p, will double up if the price dips to 55p.

there will never be such a good buying opportunity. As J777J says you are getting the ongoing business for free!

One fundamental issue the shorters have missed is that if this is a scam, which its not, why would the founder want to buy part of the business back.

BTW I do accept there has been some dubious practises in the industry but CUP are ahead of the game in clearing it up.

As ever DYOR.

[loverat] 30/7/2013 08:55

That'll be a laugh. Then we'll all be plagued not just by PPI calls but by people asking whether we have been scammed by dating sites. I wonder what the answer will be to that question.